The City of Carmel is looking at getting rid of traditional beach fires with a public nuisance ordinance passed at Tuesday's city council meeting.The beach fire issue has been an ongoing saga in 2015, it started when air quality data showed there was a whole lot of smoke from fires on weekends and holidays.“I think at peak times it was over a hundred fires and that caused smoke a level where it would have triggered an evacuation so that is really bad,” said Mayor Jason Burnett.In August the city took action and put a moratorium in, banning beach fires on weekends and holidays. But then in October the Coastal Commission sent a letter to the city outlining why the moratorium was not enforceable.Beach fires are a part of Carmel’s Local Coastal Plan, which has the approval of the Coastal Commission.“The Coastal Commission has decided that wood fires should be allowed on the beach, because it’s an access issue, and it’s an inexpensive recreational activity that folks can enjoy on the beach,” said Richard Stedman with the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District.Stedman is an Air Pollution Control Officer, he worked to take the air quality samples this summer and has been in the loop with the Coastal Commission on the issue.Stedman said the data he took this summer showed the air quality, at times, was in the unhealthy for sensitive groups because of the smoke.“What we found out is that by in large during weekends and holiday periods, particularly the Fourth of July weekend we had really high levels of particulate matter that were being experienced by the residents as was indicated on our monitoring device,” he said.The health risk is why the Mayor wants to get rid of wood fires on the beach altogether. Burnett said the public nuisance ordinance would help the city to get around the Coastal Commission.“Since it is made based on health grounds and the coastal commission does not have jurisdiction over health we believe that our decision would prevail,” Burnett said.The ordinance would ban all wood fires on the beach but it would allow for propane fires. Burnett said he envisions the city building propane fire pits for people to use as well as allowing individuals to bring their own.The ordinance will come back for a second reading in January.The Coastal Commission has looked at the issue since October and is recommending the city allow for 26 wood fires at a time on the beaches. The commission will meet with the city on Dec. 10, no one from the Coastal Commission was available for comment in time for this articles publication.

CARMEL, Calif. —

The City of Carmel is looking at getting rid of traditional beach fires with a public nuisance ordinance passed at Tuesday's city council meeting.

The beach fire issue has been an ongoing saga in 2015, it started when air quality data showed there was a whole lot of smoke from fires on weekends and holidays.

Advertisement

“I think at peak times it was over a hundred fires and that caused smoke a level where it would have triggered an evacuation so that is really bad,” said Mayor Jason Burnett.

In August the city took action and put a moratorium in, banning beach fires on weekends and holidays. But then in October the Coastal Commission sent a letter to the city outlining why the moratorium was not enforceable.

Beach fires are a part of Carmel’s Local Coastal Plan, which has the approval of the Coastal Commission.

“The Coastal Commission has decided that wood fires should be allowed on the beach, because it’s an access issue, and it’s an inexpensive recreational activity that folks can enjoy on the beach,” said Richard Stedman with the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District.

Stedman is an Air Pollution Control Officer, he worked to take the air quality samples this summer and has been in the loop with the Coastal Commission on the issue.

Stedman said the data he took this summer showed the air quality, at times, was in the unhealthy for sensitive groups because of the smoke.

“What we found out is that by in large during weekends and holiday periods, particularly the Fourth of July weekend we had really high levels of particulate matter that were being experienced by the residents as was indicated on our monitoring device,” he said.

The health risk is why the Mayor wants to get rid of wood fires on the beach altogether. Burnett said the public nuisance ordinance would help the city to get around the Coastal Commission.

“Since it is made based on health grounds and the coastal commission does not have jurisdiction over health we believe that our decision would prevail,” Burnett said.

The ordinance would ban all wood fires on the beach but it would allow for propane fires. Burnett said he envisions the city building propane fire pits for people to use as well as allowing individuals to bring their own.

The ordinance will come back for a second reading in January.

The Coastal Commission has looked at the issue since October and is recommending the city allow for 26 wood fires at a time on the beaches. The commission will meet with the city on Dec. 10, no one from the Coastal Commission was available for comment in time for this articles publication.